


sugar burn

by softccore



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthday Party, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25955044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softccore/pseuds/softccore
Summary: They broke up on a Wednesday. Well, Steve broke up with Tony on a Wednesday.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	sugar burn

They broke up on a Wednesday. Well, Steve broke up with Tony on a Wednesday.

"I think we should take a break. Before things get uglier."

For Tony this had come out of nowhere. Not the fight, the fight had become their new normal. Constantly antagonizing each other in a never ending conflict. Breaking up though, no, he had never thought about it. Tony wasn't strong enough for that. He had always counted on Steve to make the tough calls. Not fair, on his behalf, but still.

"If that's what you want."

Tony was twenty at the time. He thought he was so mature for handling it the way he did. These days he's been thinking the mature choice would have been to stay. Work on it.

Steve stood still staring at Tony's back as he walked down the stairs and out of his life. If you asked him now, he still remembers how dark his hair looked in the dim lighting of his apartment. How he made for the door so quickly, afraid his tears would show, but Steve had already caught a glimpse of them.

The same back he was looking at then, was the one he was looking at now, five years later, in Sharon's living room. Going to the party wasn't in his plans tonight, but he realized he didn't really have an excuse other than the fact that Tony had been invited too.

Tony looked radiant, as always, laughing at something Rhodey had said. When Tony laughed, the whole world got warmer. His eyes got some of their spark back and he looked young, so young. Innocent, like before all the tragedies life had thrown at him. But even then, even when he looked beaten and like every ounce of youth had left him, Tony still looked beautiful in Steve's eyes.

Suddenly he felt the urge to go to him, listen to that laugh, pretend he was the one causing it in the first place. Tony rarely laughed the days predating their breakup, but Steve hadn’t noticed at the time, too selfish to admit he had been doing things wrong. Regret has been his loyal companion in his solitude, ever since Tony.

He opted for the bar where his friend was sitting at instead, but the thought of talking to Tony again was still lingering in his mind, probably would for the rest of the evening.

Hours later when the lights were low, the music was slowly fading away and the drinks had long been consumed, Steve found himself at Sharon's couch, thinking about Tony again. They had exchanged smiles once, and that was it.

"The seat taken?"

Steve raised his head, only to realize there he was, the person he's been longing for all night, and also, all his life.

"By all means." Steve couldn't keep a smile from forming on his lips as he pointed at the seat next to him.

He realised he didn't want to either. Tony smiled back, then sat down next to him, leaving a safe distance between them. Unfortunate, for Steve who immediately found he was aching to close that distance.

"You've been staring at me all night, Rogers." Tony said playfully.

“I did have a good view.” Steve allowed himself to flirt back. For one fleeting moment, it felt like before. Like the life they had built together all these years ago, the one that died so quickly because they were both victims of their circumstances.

“That you did.” Tony returned smiling, and Steve’s gaze paused at him, only for a fraction of a second, but Tony was too modest to notice when people looked at him. He always shrugged it off thinking it was his clothes they were looking at, or his fancy cars, but the truth is, Tony was magnetic, to everyone and most of all to Steve. Him speaking again was what tore his gaze away.

“You should’ve said hi earlier. Rhodey’s missed you.”

“Pretty sure the colonel would very happily kill me himself, given the chance.” Steve joked, but they both knew this wasn’t far from the truth. Rhodes wasn’t to blame though.

“Nah, he’s not that bad.” Tony said, mostly testing the waters, trying to find solid ground of things that would't hurt either of them. 

“No, he isn't. ” 

The air between them was filled with silence once again. Neither wanted the conversation to end, but also fell short of things to bring up that wouldn’t open old wounds. When you once shared your life with someone, Steve thought, you’ve got so much to say that you don’t know where to start.

“So, how have you been? Will I locate a soon to be mister Rogers somewhere in this party?”

“That’s an awful way to ask if I’m dating anyone, Tony”

Tony let his head fall, snorting at the same time. “It was worth a shot.”

And just like that they found their pace. The easiness, the honesty and affection in their conversations. They didn’t ever reach awkward, or even boring, they knew each other so well, it was easy to know what to say and what the other one wanted to hear. Steve and Tony both missed that pace.

“I’m not. Dating anyone, that is. Are you? ”

“Well, there have been certain people for a while but nothing serious. So yeah, me neither.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

They both detected a glimpse of hope in each other’s eyes. Like some kind of unspoken agreement happened between them right there and then. Maybe one of them would be brave enough to act on it. Tony wanted it to be Steve, but Steve knew it would be Tony. Tony had always been the one taking the risks, his mind so bright and his heart so warm, that he always got what he wanted.

“We should, grab a coffee, sometime. Or something. If you want.” Tony mumbled in an effort to sound nonchalant, but his eyes were pleading. He was eager to take the leap, but afraid to take the fall all the same.

Steve understood, he was afraid too. Afaid of repeating past mistakes. But who was he to say no to the man he would bring down the stars for, five years ago and today still? Their hope was brighter than whatever dark ghosts had been haunting their past, so for now, they would indulge their young hearts.

“Sure, Tony.”

**Author's Note:**

> title and also the fic was inspired by "sugar burn" by jaymes young. hope you all like this<3 have a beautiful day!!  
> find me on instagram @sapphirq


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